This is not the game they must win, so the Ottawa Redblacks should sit Henry Burris and let Thomas DeMarco start and finish Sunday’s game at Hamilton.

Sure, it’s the biggest game in franchise history so far, but it’s no bigger than the Nov. 7 rematch with the Tiger-Cats at TD Place stadium, and neither is as significant as the ones after that.

Those would be the East Division playoff semifinal, final and maybe, just maybe, the Grey Cup Game at Winnipeg on Nov. 29.

After Burris took a shot in the left knee from Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive lineman Jamaal Westerman last Saturday, DeMarco has received all the reps with the first-team offence this week. Burris was restricted to passing drills in which there was no possibility of contact.

That’s no way to prepare for game action. A quarterback who can’t move quickly and decisively would be at greater risk of aggravating a knee injury and of taking more hits from defenders with malice in their hearts.

“There’s more heads into making the decision than me, but I’m going to make sure that I pull for not Trump, but Clinton in the next selection,” Burris said after practice on Thursday.

Huh?

“Vote for me to play, dadgummit.”

Henry Burris says he’ll play against Hamilton. But maybe he shouldn’t.

However, Burris gave himself and his team an opt-out, acknowledging that a week off might be better in the long run, particularly if there were any complications during the short walk-through before Saturday’s charter flight to Hamilton.

He also conceded he might have a different viewpoint if it wasn’t Game 17 of the season, but Game 1 or 2.

“When it gets to be playoff time, you want to be out there because there’s more chips on the table. Early in the season, I definitely would wait,” said Burris, who leads the CFL by substantial margins in pass attempts, completions and yards and is a virtually certain nominee for the most outstanding player award.

“This is not do or die, and this game won’t make or break our season, but we all know this is an important game.”

So it is. At 10-6, the Redblacks and Tiger-Cats are tied for first with post-season berths locked up. Either of them or the third-place Toronto Argonauts could host the division semifinal, but only a pair of Ottawa-Hamilton ties and Argos victories in their last two games would shift the Nov. 22 East final to Toronto.

It has also been a point of some pride for the 40-year-old Burris, the CFL’s oldest player. other than Saskatchewan Roughriders kicker Paul McCallum, to be one of only two passers to start every game this season, but he should still sit on Sunday. Equipment staffers should, if necessary, hide his helmet.

DeMarco has been in all the quarterback meetings, too, so he should know the offence just as well and he’s healthy. The 26-year-old Californian started six consecutive games for the B.C. Lions in 2013, completing 103 of 191 pass attempts for 1,325 yards and 10 touchdowns, although he also threw eight interceptions.

As a Redblack, DeMarco is 12-for-30, including 1-for-12 with two interceptions this year, but he’s a multi-talented athlete — he punted for an average of 41.3 yards in an August game at Calgary — and should be better at avoiding the pass rush than Burris.

“It sounds cliché, but you prepare as if you’re going to play every week,” DeMarco said.

Offensive co-ordinator Jason Maas said the Redblacks wouldn’t change their offensive strategy if they changed quarterbacks. In other words, pass first and often pass second.

“Henry is probably not going to be 100 per cent,” Maas said. “It’s about getting him comfortable and making him as healthy as he can be. With Henry out, we needed Thomas to get as many reps as possible (in practice). That’s why he got all of them.”

Head coach Rick Campbell said it would be feasible for Burris to play without practising this week, given his vast CFL experience and all the snaps he took during practice and the first 16 games. DeMarco’s increased workload this week was about ensuring he was as ready as he could be if Burris wasn’t available Sunday.

“My answer is I don’t know, but I’m not going to be surprised if he comes in here tomorrow and says, ‘I’m ready to go,'” Campbell said. “We’ll see what happens. Between him and Dave (Wright, head athletic therapist), we’ll make a smart decision and go from there.”

There will be at least a couple of other roster changes. Defensive back John Boyett will replace Jerrell Gavins (lower body), and Campbell said the Redblacks would remove another American so they could re-insert defensive tackle Jonathan Williams. He has played in one game because of a groin problem that led to recent surgery.

As well, fullback Jordan Verdone (undisclosed) is “doubtful,” which could create an opening for receiver Jake Harty. The Redblacks’ second-round draft pick in May hasn’t played since injuring a hamstring in preseason.

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